Contributors

Friday, November 30, 2012

Hey pallies, likes been waitin' quite a few to share this post with you that puts the accent on Nick Tosches' Dino-bio, "DINO: Living High In The Dirty Business Of Dream." But, likes since I just shared the previous post that features the amazin" words of Tosches, likes thought that we certainly woulda end the month of November here at ilovedinomartin with a huge huge bang givin' a double dose of Dino-pleasure a la Nick Tosches." "

Today's post is sorta one of those most unusual Dino-reflections that came by followin' a link that came up with a google blog Dino-search. It comes from the pad "Chateau Hereliste" and the provocative post "Manly Men Confused Why Unmanly Men Get Girls."

Now, likes here's the twist pallies, today's Dino-gram ain't part of the original post, but now gets this dude, today's Dino-patter is one of the 200+ comments scribed on the original post, but likes it is so so Dino-centric, that likes I simply had to share it with all you Dino-philes.

The scriber of the comment is a dude with the tag "Luckly White Male"...and likes certainly one way this dude is in luck is that he seems to be a totally totally sold out to our Dino. Likes first thing to his credit is that this Dino-holic gets Tosches' Dino-masterpiece sayin'..."in the best biography you will ever read about any man — anywhere — “Dino,” by Nick Tosches..." Dem are golden words to this Dino-devotee's ears.

And, likes "Lucky White Male" goes on to profusely pontificate on how our most beloved Dino was truly truly a man's man when it comes to wooin' and cooin' with the chicks. This dude even shares a Dino-quotation that I had never ever heard before. Likes coulda goes on and on 'bout this guy's Dino-tude, but likes gonna be cooler for all you Dino-lovers to reads his words for yourself.

Hats off to Mr. "Lucky White Male" for sharin' his Dino-perspecives with the readers of this blog-o. To read this in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report. Keeps lovinr Dino o'pallies of mine! Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Interesting about Dean Martin, whom Krauser rightly references as a Man’s Man with Game — in the best biography you will ever read about any man — anywhere — “Dino,” by Nick Tosches, Tosches recalls Dean’s 2nd or 3rd wife basically resigning herself that her husband was going to cheat because he was basically “the most handsome man to ever walk the earth ”

Yet Dino got laid purely as a Man. Manly game, not Feminine Game : Dino’s sexual m.o. was quick and easy blow jobs from the starlets on the Hollywood lots during the day- no excessive intanglements – he loved the ladies, but he was a married man to get home for dinner:

When the girl inevitably wanted to “open up to him” and talk about her problems, and get closer, Dino would quip “Honey, if you want to confess, go see a priest”

(Another story: Dino got home for dinner once and his dinner table was full of kids from both his 1st and 2nd marriages. Dino said: ‘Guess I fucked myself out of a seat.’)

Sinatra, on the other hand, had “Feminine Game” – Sinatra understood women better – he was the better ” artist” because he had an inherent aesthetic, latently feminine sensibility that came out in his music.

Sinatra was a “die hard romantic” – Ava Gardner, the most beautiful heartbreaker at that time said: “Sinatra could be the most romantic man in the world when he wanted to be”

But unlike Dino, Sinatra would get too wrapped up emotionally in the legions of women he banged. And Dino thought all the pussy ups and downs affected Sinatra’s career – Two no-no’s for a “real man” like Dino -( who, by the way, was a multi-millionaire businessman bar none, parlaying his entertainment with extensive real estate holdings, stock in NBC, etc)

In the end, the guy who got more pussy was arguably Sinatra, with “Feminine Game”. For example, longtime valet who was with him for 20 years in Rat Pack Era and basically saw everything said “No man on Earth ever got laid more than Frank Sinatra.”

With that said, neither case, Sinatra or Dino, is there anything approaching the Metrosexual game of a Neil Strauss.

The 50s and 60s were an era for Men – and when you watch movies from that era, listen to that music, even period pieces like “Mad Men”– it was a better time.

To be Alpha, you want to understand women, be facile and conversant in their feminine world of emotions, signals, and feelings – … yet remain very much a Man

Hey pallies, likes ilovedinomartin tries hard not to pass up any opportunity to share our deepest of deep appreciato to Mr. Nick Tosches and his absolutely amazin' bio of our most beloved Dino, "DINO: Living High In The Dirty Business Of Dream."

So, likes today we shares with you a brief essay from the scribin' blog, "Open Writing," puttin' the accent on Tosches' stellar retellin' of the Dino-story. "Openwriting Web magazine features a feast of words from regular columnists, U3A writers and other authors." Indeed focusin' on Tosches' Dino-tome is so so appropo 'cause it is truly likes a total total "Dino-feast" of the life, times, and teachin's of our great man.

So, likes pallies bathes your Dino-hearts and minds in the wise and wonderful writin's of Mr. Nick Tosches featurin' the facts and figures of our Dino's entrance into the big time croonin' world when he appeared for the first time as Dean Martin singin' with the Sammy Watkins Orchestra at Cleveland's Vogue Room on November 1, 1940.

Hats off to the pallies at "Open Writing" for featurin' this Dino-excerpt and pullin' their readership into the Dino-know. To view this in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of these Dino-thoughts. Dino-only, DMP

Dino

Dino Crocetti, who from the time he was a kid in Steubenville, Ohio had dreamed of being a singer, was recruited to Columbus by a bandleader named Ernie McKay -- who promptly changed his name to Dino Martini after the then-Hollywood-heartthrob Nino Martini. There he caught the eye of Cleveland bandleader Sammy Watkins, but these were the years of World War II and the shadow of Benito Mussolini, so another name change was in order -- to the anglicized Dean Martin. Cleveland was the big time -- flush in the wake of its strategic hold on the Erie canal and John D. Rockefeller's early oil success - - and this was Martin's big break, writes Nick Tosches.

The classiest joint in Cleveland was what Variety called the 'ultra-modernistic,
intimate' Vogue Room. ... Variety observed, in its finest remedial heptalk, 'Besides
being the hangout of political nabobs, track promoters and money-boys,' the Vogue
Room 'manages to hold a good class trade.'

On Friday night, the first of November 1940, that good class trade, for a buck-fifty minimum, was privileged to enjoy the fruits of many muses. To open the show, there was Sigrid Dagnie, the 'Beauteous Ballerina.' Glen Pullen, who was there that night for Variety, remarked on her 'Andalusian song-and-dance bits' and the 'neat gown of burgundy and chartreuse that reveals her oomphy chassis.' Next came Floretta and Boyette, 'Mental & Mystic,' with 'a potpourri of mind-reading, magic and broad gags.'

Rex Weber, still billed as the 'introducer' of the 1932 song 'Brother, Can You
Spare a Dime?' performed his 'standard routine of ventriloquistic singing.' The
pianist Marion Arden filled the lulls of passage between acts, while Sorelli the
Mystic roamed the audience, offering what the Vogue Room advertised as 'Tableside
Divinations.' None of these acts was new that night to the Vogue Room; and, of course,
neither was the featured attraction, Sammy Watkins and His Orchestra. But the young
man whom Sammy introduced as Dean Martin, the young man who stepped forward acknowledging
that improbable name -- he was new.

A few days later, Pullen's review in Variety gave him his first national notice.
'Nostalgic semi-swing arrangements of old pop numbers are its longest suit,' Pullen
wrote of the orchestra. 'For another asset, Watkins has acquired a new vocalist,
Dean Martin, who backs a personable kisser with a warm, low tenor and an agreeable
manner.'

Watkins was paid $1,000 a week at the Hollenden. Ten percent of that went to MCA,
his agency. The seven bandmembers on the payroll received from fifty to seventy-five
each, depending on what Sammy thought they were worth. Dean started out at thirty-five
dollars a week, plus a free room and a 50-percent discount on food at the hotel.
His salary rose as his local popularity increased. By February 1941, he was a featured
part of the billing.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Hey pallies, likes dudes I was likes so so totally inspired by pallie Chris' amazin' Dino-tat, that I went on a bit of a Dino-search and found 'nother outstandin' homagin' of our Dino a la the artistry of tattoos over at a myspace pad. The tat below is by some dude tagged Zsolt and likes I am sure that the pallie that received this great tattoo is full of deep, pure and true devotion to our great man.

Likes ain't it amazin' pallies the many and varied ways today's youth are makin' their love of our Dino publicly known?!?!?! To checks this out in it's original form, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report. Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Hey pallies, likes I was just doin' a bit of Dino-image searchin' with the pallies at google, when I came 'cross the beaut below. It's a "greaser angel" Dino-tat submitted by a young dude tagged Chris who hails from Connecticut. Obviously pallie Chris is likes totally sold out to our Dino and how cool is that!?!?!

Truly there is no end to the many and varied ways that today's youth are homagin' our most beloved Dino. ilovedinomartin salutes Connecticut Chris for his beautifullly bold way of showin' his devotion to our Dino. To checks this out at the original pad, "Rate My Ink," simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report. Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Chris

I wanted a greaser angel and Dean Martin looked the best. On my right under arm. Artwork done by Sean Ford of Gasoline Alley Tattoo in Wallingford, CT.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today's Dino-gram is a truly truly special treat that ilovedinomartin can't ever remember publishin' before. From the blog, "YouViewed/entertainment -Videos 'of the people , by the people and for the people'", comes a vid of what is our most beloved Dino's last television appearance.

The clip begins with some comic musical moments between our Dino and Mr. Sinatra from a 1957 edition of the Frank Sinatra Show, and ends with our great man wishin' his pallie Frank a wonderful birthday sayin' "I really, truly, and honestly want to wish you a Happy Birthday, because I love you, that's all." And, indeed we know that our Dino was speakin' those words from the bottom of his heart.

ilovedinomartin thanks Mr. John Galt of "YouViewed/entertainment" for sharin' this classic Dino-clip with his readership, and so ilovedinomartin coulda pass it on to all youse Dino-philes. Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino! Dino-forever, DMP

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Hey pallies, likes I am always always delighted to find yet 'nother story 'bout how our Dino crosses each and every age and cultural barriers....bringin' pallies together who otherwise would not likely have their paths cross. Today's Dino-gram is a very very cool case in point. From the blog, "Juanita Tortilla" comes the real life tale, "A Dean Martin CD and The Old Lady."

As you will discover as you read this hugely heart-warmin' Dino-tale, the story takes place in the autumn of the year of our Dino 1999. Don't want to share any more 'cause I want all you Dino-philes to bask in the joy of each and every word of Miss Juanita's remembrances.

ilovedinomartin salutes Miss Juanita for bringin' this story to the attention of her readership, and thus enablin' our Dino-blog to share it with all youse pallies.
How wonderful to keeps hearin' the innumerable ways that our Dino keeps touchin' lives and bringin' pallies together! To read this in it's original format, per usual, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report. Dino-connected, DMP

NOTE: I have received a request from Miss Juanita to "kindly replace all my personal words and images with a link to my blog post instead? I would much prefer that." So pallies, if you care to read and see Miss Juanita's work, just click on the tag of this Dino-post. Yours in Dino, DMP

Monday, November 26, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today ilovedinomartin is truly thrilled to be turnin' our Dino-platfrom of cool over to our absolutely-sold-out-to-Dino pallie, Miss AOW. A few ago our Miss Always On Watch posted a comment 'bout her discovery of findin' a Dino-mention recently in the pages of her Newsweek mag. Likes all the excitin' Dino-details are shared below.

ilovedinomartin expresses our deepest of deep Dino-appreciato to our Miss AOW for her unlimited loyalty to our most beloved Dino through our humble little ilovedinomartin Dino-pad. And, we express our Dino-delight that she has shared the followin' golden Dino-treasure with all us Dino-philes. Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino! Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

As we often say here at I Love Dino Martin, Dean Martin was indeed the King of Cool.
But he was much, much more! Our Dino was also a fine actor, and it's time that more people recognize and appreciate the talent that the King of Cool so abundantly had.
I think that more people will discover our Dino. He is getting accolades in places that we might not expect!
Recently, when I opened my subscription copy of Newsweek, I found our Dino on the list of Martin Scorsese’s film heroes.
Scorsese is no small-time film director and producer:

He is a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema, and has won an Academy Award, a Palme d'Or, Grammy Award, Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and DGA Awards.
...Scorsese is hailed as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers of all time...

Among Scorsese's credits we find such landmark films as Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), and The Departed (2006). As a result of his excellent work, Scorsese has many followers and fans.
Now that Martin Scorsese has named Dean Martin's performance in Rio Bravo as one a great cinematic moment of guts and glory, perhaps even more people will join the ever-increasing numbers of admirers of our Dino:

Howard Hawks’s Western is a tense standoff between John Wayne’s sheriff and the gang trying to spring murderer Claude Akins from his jail, but it’s also a wonderful film about friendship and redemption. Dean Martin gives an extremely soulful performance as Wayne’s drunken deputy, and there’s a great moment when he almost gives in to the pressure of the situation and the physical discomfort of alcohol withdrawal before he empties the whiskey he’s poured back into the bottle.

High words of praise, the kind of praise that our Dino richly deserves!
Below is the Rio Bravo film clip included in the online edition of Newsweek:

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Hey pals...welcome back! Been waitin' "Oh sooo long" for this tune to find it's way into the wonderful world of Youtube! We jump back to Dean's 1972 al b um, "Dino", to grab hold of this one. "Kiss the World Goodbye" has always hit a nerve with me pals. I think we ALL feel a little down on ourselves...once in a while. I guess even our great great pal has his off days as well.

Now I can only speculate as to why Dean was feelin' so so low this particular day. Maybe Jeannie told him there was ab so lute ly no possible WAY he had nuff' time to get in his morning round of golfin'...maybe his bestest pallie, Frankie, called & said they just missed out on Happy Hour down at the local waterin' hole...or maybe even somethin' as simple as runnin' outta smokes!!! Who knows???

Anyway...Dean obviously lifted his spirits somehow. Nothins' ever THAT bad pallies! Tomorrows always a new day. Things will pass. Let's believe it will be many many moons til' ANY of us need to kiss this great great world "Goodbye!"

I never had no regrets boys not for nothin' I've done
I owed the devil some debts boys paid 'em all up but one
And I don't even regret the livin' that I'll be leaving behind
I've gotten weary of searching for something I couldn't find

I'm going down to the shade by the river one more time
And feel the breeze on my face before I die
I'm gonna leave whatever's left of my luck for the losers
And then bend down kiss the world goodbye

Come to lucky-in-lovin' I never had no complains
They never said I was evil but then I wasn't no saint
I'm just a river that rolled forever and never got to the sea
I just ain't blamin' nobody I had it coming to me

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Hey pallies, likes dudes all us Dino-philes are in for a really really special Dino-treat this very Dino-day. Our great pallie Miss Gayle Carline who has been scribin' a series of murder and mayhem tomes, The Peri Minneopa Mystery series, that has the coolest of cool Dino-holic character, Benny Needles, is 'bout to release numero tres in her series and is havin' a free book contest to celebrate.

Likes checks out the details below includin' a very very cool excerpt from the new volume, THE HOT MESS. And, likes you will want to checks out the other four blogs that also are accentin' excerpts from our Miss Gayle's newest book.

ilovedinomartin is delighted to be able to do our part to help promote Miss Gayle Carline's newest Dino-novel. Can't wait to gets my hands on THE HOT MESS 'cause I loves our Benny Needles and can't wait to read his newest Dino-antics. In our Dino, DMP btw, likes if you clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram you will arrive at our dear pallie Miss Gayle Carline's blog.

First, let me thank Mr. Peters for giving me a little space on his very Dino-licious blog to run a contest for my new book, THE HOT MESS. If you’ve been following the other blogs in the contest, you’ve come to the right place.

It’s the third book in my Peri Minneopa Mystery series. Peri is a housecleaner-turned-detective, who traded in her dustmop for a PI license. Surveillance and background checks are easy money, unless you’re getting chased, beaten, or shot. Peri’s part-time assistant is Benny Needles, a Dean Martin fan who is filling his house with Dino memorabilia that he buys on eBay. Like so many of us, he loves Dino, although he might take his worship a little further than most.

In THE HOT MESS, Peri is asked to investigate a case of arson and murder at Benny’s house. It’s not exactly on her menu of services, but she agrees to help her friend. What she uncovers are family secrets… and danger.

Here are the rules: There are excerpts from the book on this and four other blogs (see below). Visit my blog on Monday, November 26th, and I’ll ask five questions, the answers to which can be found in these five excerpts. The first person who answers all five correctly gets a free copy of THE HOT MESS, either e-book or paperback. I’m feeling so good about everything right now, I might even give out more free copies.

EXCERPT:

Two days later, Benny stood on the sidewalk, looking at the boarded-up remnants of his house, jerking and wide-eyed as he scanned the damage. In his hands, he clutched the Some Came Running ashtray, rubbing it as if he expected a genie to appear.

“Benny?” Peri put her hand on his arm.

“No.” Life popped into his face as he pulled away. “No no no no no—”
Nancy Nickels rushed to embrace him. Petite to the point of birdlike, she could barely get her slender arms around his shoulders, but she still held him tightly. “Benny, dear, calm down.”

He shook his head, although he didn’t try to avoid her touch. Phil, Nancy’s husband, also moved closer to him. A stout man who stood a few inches taller than Benny, Phil leaned over him in a concerned, paternal way.

Peri watched the trio. It was an odd combination. The Nickelses looked like a typical retired couple who might be headed to the golf course in their tailored shorts and polo shirts, Phil’s thinning hair was hidden under a Lakers ball cap and Nancy’s silver locks were in a short, stylish coif. Between them stood a short, round man in slacks and a bowling shirt, having a nervous breakdown. They huddled together for a few moments.

She looked to her right, where Skip stood, looking at his notebook. He had agreed to interview Benny here, instead of asking him to come to the station. Benny didn’t do well in formal settings. He had been known to hyperventilate during routine traffic stops.

Phil looked at Skip. “Do they know what caused the fire?”
“No. Their first guess is that faulty wiring caused a spark that lit some of the paint cans in the living room.”

“Paint cans?” Benny’s voice squeaked his denial. “Paint cans? Why would I have paint cans? They’re liars. They’re all liars. I would never let my house catch fire.” He slumped forward, cradling his ashtray.

Peri tried to get his attention by touching his arm, but he shied away. “Benny? Listen to me. It’s going to be okay. Not right away, but eventually, it’s going to be okay. Skip grabbed the first thing he saw, but there may be more things in there that survived the fire.”

Benny looked up at her, his eyes glassy. “Can we go see?”
“Not right now. Once the firefighters say it’s safe to go in the house, we’ll go look through it all, okay? It should only be a couple of days.”
He nodded. “What time?”

Nancy chuckled and Peri glanced at her, wondering how she and her husband had handled Benny for an entire week, two thousand miles from home. “As soon as we get permission, we’ll set up the time. Now, I’ve talked with your Aunt Esmy. She said you can stay with her.”

“Her house is so creepy, Miss Peri.” Benny’s dear aunt had a penchant for taxidermy and had filled her home with as many stuffed creatures as he had Dino memorabilia.

“I know, but hopefully it will only be for a few days.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Benny, there’s one more thing we need to tell you.”
His face had that same puppy-dog look of expectancy as when he worked as her assistant. It was the innocence in his eyes that kept her from killing him most of the time. “They found a body in the house.”

Innocence erupted into anger and fear. “Someone was in my house? Going through my things? Who? Who was in my house?”

“I don’t know who it was. He was a young man, and he was in your mom’s room. Do you know why anyone would be in your mom’s room?”
He didn’t appear to hear the question. “Why were they in my house? Maybe they were painting. Did they ruin any of my stuff? We need to go look inside.”
It took all four of them to restrain him from breaking the police tape and barging through the door. After a few moments, he withdrew again and rubbed his ashtray.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Hey pallies, likes 'nother day of givin' Dino-thanks has come our way. When we here at ilovedinomartin pondered what to share in deep homage of our most beloved Dino, we just knew that we couldn't sez it better then our amazin' Dino-prosin' pallie Ed who a few years 'go likes scribed the followin' Dino-thankin' Dino-trib...so here are Ed's outstandin' Dino-thoughts durin' our season of "Givin' Dino Thanks."

So pallies, likes sits back and relish each and every one of our Dino-phile Ed's heartfelt Dino-reflections 'cause they are ladened with the deepest of the deep, the purest of the pure, and the truest of the true Dino-truths.

It's 'bout 15 long years since our Dino walked the earth, but his life and legacy continues to entrall and call all us pallies to know, love, and honor our great man more and more each and every Dino-day.

Thanks Ed for sharin' your Dino-thanks with us in such a cool Dino-way. Thanks most of all to our Dino...truly we wanna know you, love you, and honor you more each and every Dino-day! Dino-gratefully, DMP

Location? On a stage somewhere, Anytown USA.

Time? When Dino roamed and owned the earth.

Dino: “You know why they call it Plymouth Rock? Those pilgrims backed up their Plymouth into that rock. That’s why they call it Plymouth Rock.”

True Story. It was Dino that quickly pointed out that America was discovered by a fellow Italian, Amerigo Vespucci. In turn, it was America who discovered Martin, Sinatra, Como, Martino, Bennett, Vale, Laine, Darin, Damone, and Prima. All Italian-American singers who forever changed the American music landscape. Imagine a world without Dean Martin. Elvis has no direction. Sinatra hasn’t a Yin to Yang, and good luck with reviving the Humphrey Bogart-less Holmby Hills Rat Pack. Joey Levitch is still Joey Levitch. Who’s Joey Levitch you ask? Welcome to a Dino-less world. Joey Levitch became Jerry Lewis. The word “cool” would have been forever associated with the weather. The Beatles would still be remembered as being “untouchable”.

Let’s be selfish for a bit. Without Dino, we don’t have see our fathers settling down in his favorite chair smoking his favorite pipe, spinning his favorite Dino LP. The man who makes my dad happy is the man that makes us happy. Pleasure hasn’t a salesman. Time passes and finds me sitting down in my favorite chair with my favorite beverage, listening to my favorite Dino iPod playlist. Coincidence? Think not my fellow Dino-phile. Dino transcends generations, countries, languages, races, sexes. He touches all! Cool has no color. Cool is ageless. You’re only as far from cool as the nearest Dino LP, CD, book, what have you. If you can’t find cool, pick up a Dino LP, look at it. It’s your cool compass, it always points to cool. Without it you’re never lost pally!

The things in life to be thankful for? Dino said it best.. Tender kisses, nights of bliss. Small moonbeams, sips of wine. Wedding bells, little kids, and dreams to savor. Blessings, man, wife, love and life. Memories are made of this.

Be thankful for those who brought them to you. Return the favor, help make others lives more memorable.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today we continue with our accent on "Giving Dino Thanks" here at ilovedinomartin. "'gain we share with youse a post that first appeared here on
November 25, 2008....and often reappears here durin' our festival of "Givin' Dino-Thanks." Scribed by Mr. Ron Giesecke for his "Political Therapy" blog, this perfectly powerful prose tagged "I’m Thankful For Dean Martin," shares the extemely important role that our Dino played in Giesecke's last conversation with his father who was dyin' of cancer.

This hugely heartfelt Dino-testimony is a refreshin' reminder to all us pallies 'bout the many and varied ways that our Dino has deeply touched so so many lifes, and continues to do so even long after his departure from the planet.

In this week of "Givin' Dino Thanks" 2012, I continue to be ever ever thankful for our Dino and likes I'm also very thankful to Mr. Ron Giesecke for his candid retellin' of the incredible role our most beloved Dino played in sayin' goodbye to his father. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. In this season of thanksgiving, be sure to pause and give our Dino thanks for the amazin' ways he has touched the lives of all of his pallies!In Thanksgiving To Our Dino, DMP

The Therapist Thursday, November 24, 2005

I’m Thankful For Dean Martin

Tomorrow at 5:00 AM, It will be four months to the day that I lost my father to cancer. I had a feeling last Thanksgiving, that I was looking at my dad across the holiday table for the last time.

I was right.

Due to some employment constraints on my part, as well, as some plain old logistical difficulty, we decided to have Thanksgiving dinner on Monday evening. Everything was normal overall, with the addition of an emotional assent to how much we all wished dad were here one last time. My dad was a restless soul, and my wife’s observations about his absence on one of the holiday deficits that will now be the most obvious: that wherever my dad was on Thanksgiving, he always managed to be wandering around the kitchen, chatting with whomever was cooking, and just plain getting in the way in the fashion that loveable old lugs manage to do so well.

How I would have paid millions to have my dad holding up the wheels of culinary progress, forcing my wife to jokingly threaten to run him over one last time. How I would have also paid millions, if it would have at least enshrouded the incremental knots of pain in my mother’s face, as the holiday realizations washed over the clock—all without my father—her husband. And no amount of ambient room chatter was going to change it.

I started thinking about the last two days in my father’s life. Those memories—the one’s where family members became strangers, enemies, and opaque silhouettes—The one’s that recall the fear of falling, the contortions of pain—believe it or not, still have some high points.

I arrived out at the house, and to his deathbed. The medications, along with his metabolic breakdowns had cajoled an otherwise meek man into a sometimes-belligerent stranger. I remember distinctly two conversations I had with him. The first was a bit adversarial—to start.

“Dad, I’m here.”

Dad looks over at me, gives me a once over, and says “so what?”

“Dad, you’re little granddaughters are here.”

“I don’t care,” said my dad, looking away in disgust.

Right about then, my four year old—one of two apples in my father’s eye, ran into the room with that hapless, four-year-old lack of understanding at the impending gravity. I picked her up, and held her over him, so that he was forced to see her.

“Oh yeah, Captain Belligerent? Try being mean to THIS.”

I watched dad, as the realization that Clara was there at Grandpa’s side. I watched as he forced his demeanor, focus, and grandfatherly adoration through the unwieldy veil that had hidden the rest of him from the rest of us.

“Hi Clara,” he said, through the most painful smile ever forged upon that face. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. My daughter made cancer take a back seat, if only for a moment.

As dad inched ever-closer to the precipice, his coherence, ability to communicate, and humanity started to fade. I wanted to speak with my dad one last time about his soul, so that I could again pray with, for, and about him. The in-home hospice visitors said he no longer knew where he was.

I looked straight into my father’s face. His eyes fixed on mine. I thought I saw a momentary window of clarity come across those pupils, and so I silently prayed for a sign that he knew it was me.

“Dad,” I said. “I’m here.”

Dad had this way of nodding with only his eyes, and I was certain I had just seen him do it. The room was calm, and mom had kept the room calmly brimming with familiarity—to include my father’s favorite music lightly playing in the background.

“Dad, “ I said grabbing his hand. “I’m only going to ask you to extend yourself one last time. I just need to know that you know this is Ron talking. If you know it’s me, please squeeze my hand.”

He immediately squeezed with a force that astonished me.

“Okay dad. One more thing,” I said, as he locked his eyes on mine. “I’ve got one more question. After that, I just want you to pray with me in your mind.” I nodded over to the cassette player at the foot of the bed.

“Who’s playing on that radio right now?” I asked him.

With all the accompanying pain, dad struggled to put those parched lips together. I couldn’t believe he’d actually pull it off.

“Dean Martin,” he said.

I almost passed out.

I knew then, that dad and I could talk, even if it was only me doing the talking for our last conversation. Those were his last words to me. We had already exchanged our “I love you’s” earlier. And yet nothing in that transcended the sheer force I felt when I heard the man who brought me into this world fight one last time to converse with me as he left it.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Hey pallies, welcome to our week of "Givin" Dino Thanks" here at ilovedinomartin. In this week where folks in the good o' United States of America gather with family and friends to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, it is oh so appropriate that ilovedinomartin share some special posts that speak of pallies' deep, pure, and true devotion to our Dino.

First up is a post that ran here durin' Dino-amore-month 2012, from the outstandin' blog, "Vocal Standards" hosted by Mr. Steve Cox. In his prose, "Dean Martin's wonderful gift, Mr. Cox shares a deeply moving, profoundly insightful testimony to the transformin' power of our most beloved Dino. Cox tells his heart-felt story of how our Dino's recorded music and television show dvds comforted his mother Bernice in the last couple of years of her struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.

This is one of the most touchin', if not the most touchin' post that we have ever shared here at ilovedinomartin about the amazin' way that our great man had, has, and will forever have of touching his great devotees' lives....and thus totally worthy of sharin' 'gain as we celebrate our week of "Givin' Dino Thanks" here at ilovedinomartin.

We offer our deep appreciation to Mr. Steve Cox for being so transparent in sharin' his deeply personal testimony of the amazing ways that Dean Martin consoled Cox's mother in her last days on this earth. To read this in it's original format, simply click on the title of this post. Dino we shares our thanks for the amazin' ways you keep transformin' the lives of those you have welcomed into your amazin' world! Dino-thankfully, DMP

Dean Martin’s wonderful gift…

February 5, 2012 By scox

My mom’s birthday was yesterday…I think she would have been 85 — she passed away in 2004. I don’t want to get all maudlin here or make this too personal, but I do want to share an anecdote about how Dean Martin helped my mother in her time of greatest need.

As I mentioned in last week’s post on Andy Williams, we religiously watched Dean Martin’s television show at our house. To my knowledge, neither of my parents ever caught a Dean Martin live performance but nevertheless they were huge fans … the distant way most people are with guys as big as Dean or Frank Sinatra.

For the most part Bernice Cox lived a great life; she was a beauty queen (Miss New Hampshire!), married a dashing fighter pilot after the war (WW II), traveled, played great golf, danced … raised two amazing and talented children .

A tough ending…

Bernie had a tough go at the end with Parkinson’s Disease. Many of the things she loved to do moved from difficult to impossible in the last few years and that’s when Dean became a big part of her life.

Man, she loved to watch football on TV … college and pro football became her passion as her mobility declined. Super bowl weekend was always greeted with mixed emotions as there would be no more football ’til the fall. We got her the Dean Martin TV show collection DVDs, hoping they would provide some off-season relief and she took to them immediately.

Dean became her companion …For the last couple of years of Bernie’s life Dean was my mom’s best friend. Not in a weird psycho way or anything, she just loved seeing and hearing the happy-go-lucky, fun loving guy Dean was … he made her feel good, remember good times dancing and carousing in better days.

At the end…

Bernie’s body finally gave out in the summer of 2004. When it was clear she wasn’t coming home from the hospital this time, all she really wanted and responded to was Dean. My brother and I got her some comfortable headphones and we loaded up all the Dean Martin LPs in my collection on an iPod for her.

After about 24 hours, I was concerned that it was too much for her, but when I lifted the headphones off and asked if she wanted some quiet to sleep … she could hardly respond but with her eyes and the tinniest shake of the head she made it clear that she wanted Dean to hold her hand all the way out.

Greg and I stood vigil for the next two nights, keeping the music playing … making sure her favorites “Go! Go! Go! Go!”, “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’ and “Mambo Italiano” were prominently in the mix.

Dean quite literally reached down, took my mom by the hand and escorted her to a place where she can dance again … and maybe catch Dean, Frank and Sam on stage. God, let it be so.

Someday soon…OK, I’m getting misty here and need to quit. One last thing … I plan to catch a Deana Martin show this year. When I do, I hope I have a chance to tell her how great her dad was to my mom. Bernie never met Dean and yet he helped her so much — at her time of greatest need.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Hey pallies! I know it's a few days early, but...Happy Thanksgivin' to all! Got us a great little number from Bob Hope's 1982 Thanksgivin' Special. Our bestest pal sings "Just Bummin' Around" & has some fun with good ol' Bob. Great stuff to start a great great holiday season!

Man, makes me think bout' my younger days watchin' this vid. Takes me back to some wonderful place that seems a lifetime ago. It also reminds me to be thankful for not only what & who I have now...but what & who I had then too! Those memories are TRULY priceless! Now today just so happens to be my dear ol' pops birthday. So I'm dedicatin' this one to you Pop...one of your favs! Happy Birthday...wherever you are!

We are blessed EVERYDAY pals! As long as we have our health...family, friends & wonderful memories...and of course...the ONE & ONLY Dean Martin! Enjoy!

I got an ol' slouch hat,
got my roll on my shoulder
I'm as free as a breeze
an' do as I please,
just a bummin' around . . .

Gotta million friends,
I don't feel any older
I've got nothin' to lose
not even the blues,
just a bummin' around . . .

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Hey pallies, likes I can't thinks of a more wonder-filled day in the life and times of our Dino then November 17, 1951 'cause likes on that date our most beloved Dino and second wife, Jeanne, welcomed their first child together, Dino Martin Jr. into the world. Likes thinks of the immense pride and joy that our great man took in namin' his boypallie after himself. Thinks of the hopes, the dreams, that our Dino had for this little babe in arms by givin' his beloved boypallie his stunnin' name!

And, indeed our Dino's boypallie namesake certainly did live up to the takin' of his amazin' Daddy-o's tag...becomin' a hugely successful entertainer himself while just in his teens as part of the swingin' pop trio Dino, Desi, and Billy. Dino Jr. went on to acclaim as a tennis pro, football player, and found fame and fortune as an actor on both the small and big screens. And our Dino's golden boy also was golden when it came to bein' a pilot of jet airplanes.

Likes Dino Jr. had only one real problemo...he was so ultra multi-talented likes his famous father, that he just couldn't decide which of his many interests to put the major accent of his life on. One thin' for sure dudes, Dino Jr. was definitely meant be heir apparent to our King of Cool's Dino-throne. And, of course likes all of that came to a unthinkable end when Dino Jr. tragically crashed his National Guard F-4 Phantom fighter jet in California's San Bernardino Mountains during a snowstorm on March 21, 1987.

Today we celebrate this wondrous day in our Dino's life as we remember and honor Dino Jr. on the 61th anniversary of his arrival into family Martin. But, in the midst of all our celebratin' we can't help but be sad as well as we know the Dino Jr. story turned out to break our lovin' Dino's lovin' heart as he never ever got over the death of his beloved namesake. Dino-honorin', DMP

Friday, November 16, 2012

Hey pallies, likes tomorrow is simply one of the hugest days in all of Dino-history. It was on November 17, 1951 that Dino's wife numbero duo, Jeanne gave birth to her first born son and named him Dino Martin Jr. Dino Jr. was our most beloved Dino's most beloved boypallie...the apple of his eye...and likes, of course, we all know that tragic death that Dino Jr. faced, and how our great man's great life demised from that point on.

Well such a significant event in the life and times of our Dino certainly deserves more then just a passin' mention, so on this day before we remember the birthin' of our Dino's most devoted prodigy, ilovedinomartin shares a post with you puttin' the accent on Dino Martin Jr. stunnin' role in his biggest big screen effort, "Players," a totally totally underated flick of it's day. Dino Jr. co-starred with Ali MacGraw in this 1979, starring as a professional tennis player, for which he was rightfullly nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best New Star of the Year—Male.

Above is a stunnin' pose of Dino Jr. and Miss MacGraw taken from "Players," as well as below, a 10 minute trib vid from this flick. Dino Jr.'s scenes with Ali show that Dino Jr. was truly heir apparent to the King of Cool's throne. As one watches Dino's Jr. amorin' of Miss MacGraw, one sees that Dino Jr. was absolutely his father's son and had all his daddy-o's amazin' charmin' cooin' cool.

And, likes as an added bonus, ilovedinomartin is also includin' a rare live interview of Dino Jr. conducted 'round the time of the releasin' of "Players." The only version that I could find was one conducted in English, but translated into Italiano. But, likes if you listen carefully you can hear Dino Jr. amazin'ly reflective and insightful answers.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Hey pallies, likes some of the greatest posts here at ilovedinomartin are oh so short in word count, but likes oh so long in Dino-wisdom and Dino-devotion. And, likes you just never know where these here Dino-reflections are goin' to be uncovered. The pallies at google recently sent me a Dino-'lert from of all places a blog focused on of all thin's...finance!,

"Charles V. Payne is a regular contributor to the Fox Business and Fox News Networks. In addition, he continually provides opinions on the market to scores of prestigious news organizations such as Reuters, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times and has been the keynote speaker at many investment conferences worldwide. Charles is also the Chief Executive Officer and Principle Analyst of Wall Street Strategies, Inc. (WSSI), which he founded in 1991."

Mr. Payne's provocate post tagged, "A Hug or the "Dope Fiend Yoke," is centered on his opinions on why the recent presidential election went the way it did. Well, likes pallies, all you Dino-philes knows that ilovedinomartin always has been, always will be a-politico.

The reason for postin' Mr. Payne's pontifications here is 'cause as you will discover below, he begins his remarks with the lyrics of the Dino-classic, "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You," and briefly but boldly speaks of his great sadness over our great man's great demise after the tragic death of our Dino's most beloved boypallie Dino Jr.

As you will read below, Mr. Payne usin' a few words speaks volumes of huge Dino-truth...applyin' a couple of lines from the song to the late days of our Dino's life....

You may be king, you may possess the world and it's gold,

But gold won't bring you happiness when you're growing old.

'gain likes showin' what a wise philosopher our Dino truly is!

ilovedinomartin speaks our deepest of deep Dino-appreciato to Mr. Charles Payne for openly sharin' his compassion for our most beloved Dino in his reflections. To view this in it's original format, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report. Dino-lovin', DMP

Charles Payne

You're nobody til somebody loves you

You're nobody til somebody cares

Dean Martin

I hated reading about the later years of Dean Martin where he was once taken by some woman grifter preying on his loneliness to squeeze what she could out if his name. After his son died training in a fighter jet, Dean Martin tumbled into despair. Coupled with long nights and hard partying he was soon just a shell of himself, and yet even in that state, he needed someone to show they cared. This is the way it is for all people.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today we 'gain turn to our new pallie Ryan Ebelt for more wonderful prosin' a la Dino! Ry is truly a renaissance man...auther, artiste, musician, and in recent days has turned his scribin' abilities in the direction of our most beloved Dino. After sharin' a review of Helmer numero uno that Ry had shared a few years ago with his readership at his stellar blog, "RJE'S FRIENDS OF JUNIOR," Ebelt decided to renew and refresh his aquaintanceship with our Dino and his quartet of super spyster flicks.

After revisitin' and revisin' his original review of "The Silencers," ilovedinomartin encouraged our pallie Ry to share his Dino-impressions of the rest of the Dino-pack...and indeed he has. And, we have be likes totally totally delighted to share his wonderful reviews with all you Dino-holics here at ilovedinomartin.

And, ilovedinomartin has been thrilled to know that we had a wee part in the short run of gettin' Ry's creative juices flowin' the Matt Helm way via rewatchin' and reviewin' these Dino-classics....and in the long run helpin' Ry deepen his devotion to our Dino. As Ry said in a recent comment at his blog, " I've had a great time rewatching and reviewing the Helm pictures...and it's been perfectly swell seeing that my work's being appreciated."

Well today ilovedinomartin is likes thrilled to share the last of Ry's Helmer reviews...and truly it is as evocative as the first three. Likes gotta 'fess up that I never ever 'til yesterday took notice of the byline tag of Ebelt's blog. It sez..."Vim...Vigor...Vitriol..."....and that's exactly what our pallie Ry's Dino-reflections are full of....those three V's. How great is that dudes?!?!?!

And, each and every review that Ry writes always brings new Dino-insights to this here Dino-devotee. Likes I totally digs how Ry frames "The Wrecking Crew." He likes absolutely....without a doubt...nails WC when he sez, "Now, positing The Wrecking Crew as the most serious of the Helm movies." Never viewed it that way before, but indeed our amazin' Dino-holic pallie Ry has hit it on the Dino-nose with such intriguin' insight.

Well, likes I coulda goes on and on 'bout this review, but the point is dudes...do your Dino-homework for today and simply relish Ry Ebelts fab homagin' of our great man in the great flick "The Wrecking Crew." Hats off to our pallie Ry for all his creative efforts in educatin' his readership in the pleasures of our Dino as Matt Helm. To read this in it's orginal source, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram. Dino-awed, DMP

"But I'm Gonnna Shock Her Out of Her Miniskirt..."

And so today, we'll wrap up the world of Matt Helm with The Wrecking Crew (1968).

If you're waiting for a final poster joke about "balls", you're gonna be waiting a long time.

As I mentioned in my review of the third installment in the franchise, The Wrecking Crew would experience something of a change in tone. Oddly enough, I thought of an apt Bond metaphor. Though each of the films kept ratcheting up the amount of gadgets and crazy situations, it was during Roger's stint that the movies moved into full blown cartoon territory. Moonraker (1979) was the pinnacle of silliness as it not only knocked the over-the-top qualities of The Spy Who Loved Me up another notch, but also made a half-assed stab at the Star Wars boom. So when Bond returned in 1981 with For Your Eyes Only, it was not only the most serious and subdued of Roger's stint as 007, but perhaps of the entire franchise up to that point.

Now, positing The Wrecking Crew as the most serious of the Helm movies...well, they only toned it down to somewhere around Our Man Flint level. Most of the endless innuendo is gone from much of the banter, though Dino still gets in a regular flow of zingers. There's still plenty of lovely ladies, but each has a part to play in the plot. The gadgets are nothing too wacky, and most of the scenarios are remarkably plausible if comically performed (I would suggest looking up the term "haymaker" with regards to fighting and consider how useful it is in life and death combat between trained professionals).

I prefer to believe this was the life of spies...

The story concerns $1 billion of US gold being stolen from a train traveling through Europe, though why all that gold would be travelling via train through Europe's never really made clear, when it's high-jacked by wealthy industrialist Count Massimo Contini and his deadly fiancée Linka Karesky. Matt Helm's sent to Denmark to covertly locate the gold and wrest it back from Contini before it plunges the world money markets into chaos. (This is what happens when you're on the gold standard, folks!) Since Matt more or less knows who stole it and roughly where it is, the movie's more or less a string of set pieces trying to bump Matt and his helper Freya Carlson off or trying to seduce Matt into stealing the gold for himself. I'm pretty sure without having seen it, you can guess what happens.

If you guessed alien invasion...that's cool...but wrong.

No joke. Just something lovely.

Dean eases into this more relaxed version of Helm with just the amount of cool you would expect. While the part hasn't exactly moved into firm dramatic territory, Dino seems more comfortable not having to race to spit out double entendres with every retort. His only problem comes with Freya, played by Sharon Tate. (Without dragging the tragic events of the Manson Family murders into this, let's just say that there's a certain sad air that will likely only bother you if you're familiar with the exuberant Tate's sorrowful fate. The same thing happened the first time I saw what should've been another comic romp with Tate in The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967).) Freya's the most bumbling thing Matt's had to deal with since Stella Stevens played Gail Hendricks in the first Helm adventure, and to be honest, considering the shift in tone, she's the one element that seems to belong in an earlier Helm-er. She's the first thing to really break Matt's cool, and robbing Dino of cool is cinematic suicide in terms of the fun.

Those of you waiting for a "Hello, little buddy!" joke...you just got one.

The rest of the cast is a lot of fun. Nigel Green, who plays Contini, is perhaps the most convincing foe since Karl Malden in Murderer's Row. Elke Sommers is her usual lovely ice queen self. Tina Louise of Gilligan's Island fame makes an appearance as a double-crossing Gypsy dancer. But perhaps most interesting is Nancy Kwan as the Hong Kong assassin, Yu-Rang, who, apart from the goofy name (which I assume was some sort of nod to the colorful super-villain henchmen monikers of Bond), is far less offensive an Asian character than one would expect from a movie from this time period. I'm not going to say fully positive as there's a number of gongs and "Chinese" music stings throughout the film. I suspect the better portrayal might be due, at least in part, to the movies fight choreographer. You may have heard of him...fella by the name of Bruce Lee. Oh, and as I forgot to mention it the last time around, like its predecessors, the last two films also features another movie score heavy-hitter with the wonderful sounds of Hugo Montenegro.

Considering the era, is it ok that I hear Pete Sellers saying "Kaaaaay-tooooo?" when I look at this? I mean, I know that's the Pink Panther and not Green Hornet and all...

So to wrap it all up: if The Ambushers makes you look at The Wrecking Crew as "Criminey, here we go again...", let me assure you that it's not that. But at the same time, if you wanted more of the same old same old, it's not that either. If anything, it's a fairly familiar and mostly enjoyable ride that makes you wonder where it would have gone if, as promised in the end credits, they had made The Ravagers next.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Hey pallies, likes ilovedinomartin continues to be simply purely truely amazed by the huge diversity of remembrancin' that our most beloved Dino receives all over the web. Today's Dino-gram is a case in point. From the blog, "THE STUDIO EXEC" comes likes this totally totally rad Dino-satire scribed by a dude tagged Rob Skog.

Skog's fictional satire puts the accent on the supposed "deathbed confession" of our Dino that indeed his pallie Mr. Frank Sinatra was the guy who shot John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Skog has crafted an intiguin' Dino-scenario when supposedly the Dino-estate has released our great man's confession 'bout the truth behind the shootin' of President Kennedy.

Anywho pallies, likes all us Dino-philes know that our Dino ended his life alone, but how cool to know that our great man is still an on-goin' source of Dino-devotion in every shape imageable...'cludin' totally totally rad satires such as this.

Hats off to Mr. Rob Skog for homagin' our Dino in this way. To view this in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report. Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

DEAN MARTIN'S DEATHBED CONFESSION "Frank Sinatra shot JFK"

Earlier today, the estate of the late Dean Martin sensationally released a signed document which they claim is the dictated deathbed confession of the former lounge singer and actor.

The document, which is still awaiting official verification, contains several allegations including Jerry Lewis' secret donations to The Baadar-Meinhoff Gang and Sammy Davies Jnr's links to the Israeli Intelligence service Mossad. The most explosive passage of the confession, however, is Martin's suggestion that Frank Sinatra was the infamous 'Man on the Grassy Knoll', who conspiracy theorists have long alleged was responsible for the assassination of former US president John F Kennedy.

I was at my suite in The Tropicana in December 1963 and Sinatra came over with a bottle of Scotch. We polished that off pretty swiftly and, halfway through the next, Frank suddenly asked me what I thought about the assassination. I told him I was sorry for his family but after what that son of a bitch did to Marilyn - I had no personal love for the man. Suddenly, Frank started laughing like a maniac and when I asked him what he was laughing about, he said he had a confession to make; but if I ever told anyone about it I'd end up in a hole in the desert. I thought he was just drunk and boasting so I said “Sure Frank, spill your guts and I won't tell another living soul."

Well what he said next has been eating away at my conscience for over 30 years. He told me that the wrong man had been accused of killing the president and ole Harvey Oswald had been set up to take the fall. Still thinking he was just kidding around I said “Sure Frank, how come you know so much about it?”. Suddenly Sinatra approached me, put both hands firmly on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye.“I know about it Deano because I was the man who shot JFK”.

Now Frank was known for talking all kinds of bull and, at first, I thought he was just taking a joke too far - but then he told me how he had been at a card game on November 19th with Mickey Rooney, Tony Curtis, Peter Lawford and Mob boss Sam Giancana. He said everyone was pretty drunk and Sam got talking about how he rigged the New York vote to get Kennedy elected but the President was still busting his balls left, right, and centre. Then the conversation turned to what that son of a bitch did to Marilyn; Giancana got angry and exclaimed, “Will no-one rid me of this turbulent President?” With that, Frank said he excused himself from the table to take a leak and decided he was going to charter a plane to Dallas and assassinate Kennedy.

“It was easy Deano.”, he told me, “I borrowed a rifle from Lauren Bacall and jumped on a plane to Dallas. Next thing I know it's lunch time and I'm stood behind this grassy knoll holding half a bottle of tequila and a 6.5 mm Carcano. I saw the Presidents Limo go past, fired off a couple of shots and then wandered off to find a 7-Eleven.”

I asked Frank how Oswald got caught up in the mess and he said he had “No idea.” ,but it was - “Probably something to do with the Cubans”.

You know I've kept that secret for so long but now I'm on my way out, I thought it was high time the truth came out.

Obviously Martin's revelations are already sending shock waves around the world and we will keep you updated on the fallout, as it happens.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today we returns to "toonpool" that groovy pad where cartoonists create charmin' comic creations. Likes the pallies at google blogs 'lerted that 'nother up and comin' artiste had reimagined our most beloved Dino, and likes below you can see the Dino-creativity of a Salt Lake City dude "doodleart."

Likes always always, so refreshin' to find 'nother creative pallie usin' their artistic abilities to homage our one and only Dino! And such Dino-art is gonna keeps on bringin' more and more folks into the Dino-fold. ilovedinomartin 'presses our deepest of deep Dino-appreciato to Mr. "doodleart" for honorin' our most beloved Dino in this way. Dino-delightedly, DMP

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Hey there pals o' mine...what do ya' say we get our great great country singin' pallie, Tex Martin, to hum a few bars for this week's Serenade?!

Found us a bea u ti ful little diddy on Dean's 1966 al b um, "The Hit Sound of Dean Martin". "I'm Living In Two Worlds" is a sad sad tune bout' some poor lost soul who just can't figure out where he fits in. Now we all know that our Tex Martin will fit in ANYWHERE with ANYONE! Truly an "every man's man" & womans!!!, you just can't help but LOVE our Dino!

So even though Deans singin' the blues on this one...he still brings a huge huge smile to my face & a warm, comfortin' feelin' to MY soul. Let's sit back & soak in a little country blues with our pal & be amazed by his un be liev able range of talent! I present to you...Tex Martin! Enjoy pallies!

I'm living in two worlds dividin' my time
Unhappy in your world and lonesome in mine

When I'm in your world I just pretend
That I'm really happy though I don't fit in
Then I drift in my world so cold and alone
I'm living in two worlds where do I belong

I'm living in two worlds dividin' my time
Unhappy in your world and lonesome in mine

Old friends in your world are new friends to me
So I can't take part in your old memory
Our love shared in two worlds that don't turn the same
We each have our own worlds and neither can change

I'm living in two worlds dividin' my time
Unhappy in your world and lonesome in mine Oh yeah

Friday, November 09, 2012

Hey pallies, likes I am thrilled to give all you Dino-philes a double dose of our most beloved Dino this very Dino-day. In doin' my usual Dino-surfin' on the ol' web, just came 'cross the excitin' news that our Dino is bein' hugely hugely homaged in a new musical bio book tagged, "Biographical Dictionary of Popular Music."

Scribed by none other then Mr. Dylan Jones' that swingin' editor of The Brit GQ Magazine, the review below by Mr. Jon Garelick of of the Boston indie paper, "The Phoenix," pontificates on the the deep devotion that Master Jones lavishes on our great man. Garelick notes, "No worries here — Jones skips through pop-music history as he sees fit: 75 words for Little Richard, 1800 for Living Colour, 116 on a combined Joy Division/New Order article, 6000 on Dean Martin. And why not? Dean Martin was the most important popular singer of Jones's childhood."

6000 glorious words devoted simply and purely to our King of Cool! Now how amazin'ly satisfyin' is that o'pallies of mine. Likes I am certainly gonna have to gets quickly to my local book purveyer and gets my order to soak in each and everyone of those 6000 gloriously devotion words in praise of our most beloved Dino.

ilovedinomartin is truly lost for words to properly thank Mr. Dylan Jones for helpin' grow the Dino-revolution hugely through his most devoted Dino-remembrances. And, we thank Mr. Jon Garelick and the pallies at "The Phoenix" for puttin' the world on to this newest Dino-find. To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino pallies! Dino-always, ever, and, of course, only! DMP
btw pallies, likes if you put Dylan Jones into the search engine of this here ilovedinomartin blog, you will discover a few more pieces of prose scribed by Master Jones in honor of our most honorable Dino!

Review: Dylan Jones's 'Biographical Dictionary of Popular Music'

By JON GARELICK | November 8, 2012

In the modern world of Wiki and the Interweb, if you're going to produce an actual print-edition dictionary of pop music, you'd better frontload it with attitude. After all, all those "facts" are available elsewhere. Dylan Jones knows this, and his Biographical Dictionary of Popular Music: From Adele to Ziggy, the Real A to Z of Rock and Pop is proudly idiosyncratic, wise-ass, random, and even downright uninformative. Jones — currently editor of British GQ, with a long history of music books and journalism behind him — offers respect for the standard music encyclopedia, but he also finds them "obsessively objective and pathologically comprehensive."

No worries here — Jones skips through pop-music history as he sees fit: 75 words for Little Richard, 1800 for Living Colour, 116 on a combined Joy Division/New Order article, 6000 on Dean Martin. And why not? Dean Martin was the most important popular singer of Jones's childhood. This book is nothing if not personal — Nick Hornby on steroids. So one article begins: "The first time I met David Bowie, he asked me for a light." It's the first time he met Bowie, before becoming a journalist. Later, we'll get bits of Madonna and others culled from old interviews.

So yes, this book is as much about Jones as about his subjects, and the disproportions are part of its wit (a two-line admiring entry for Kraftwerk). His reminiscences are sometimes spiked with poetic insight — those old Dean Martin 7-inches at his parents' house "evoked a world of snap brim hats and patent leather booze." And the entry on Dylan's "Blind Willie McTell" even gets down to a good ol' rock-crit close reading. But I think the future of this book is in the e-book edition, where, we're told, there are hyperlinks to the artists' pages on iTunes.

Hey pallies, likes I've got my order in for my very own copy of that Dino-classic "Ada," and likes can't wait to gets to view this important Dino-drama. Have been lookin' high and low on the 'net for reviews of it, and likes all I can find so far is this less then stellar review by Mr. Joe Meyers at his blog at Connecticut News.

The followin' thoughts are much more focused on Miss Susan Hayward, then our most beloved Dino, but likes am glad that Mr. Meyers is spreadin' the news that "Ada" has finally been released on DVD. Indeed, likes loves the pix that Meyers features in his review. Also, likes am so delighted that he 'fesses up that "I loved every minute of it."

To view this in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram. Keeps lovin' our Dino and keeps those Dino-flicks comin! Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Bad Movies We Love: Susan Hayward & Dean Martin in ‘Ada’

by Joe Meyers

Never what you would call a subtle actress, Susan Hayward had an energy and charisma that served her well for more than 30 years on screen.

Hayward always seemed to be aware of the goofiness just under the surface of some of her most serious dramas — she’d give the most over-heated lines a campy spin that is simply irresistible.

Who can forget the way her Ethel Merman-like character in “Valley of the Dolls” levels a much younger movie star rival, just out of rehab — “So you’ve come crawling back to Broadway. Well, Broadway doesn’t go for booze and dope!”

Hayward’s reading of that one line alone has probably inspired as many New York City drag queens as the collected works of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.

Born in working class Brooklyn, Hayward quickly passed through a brief career as a New York City model. She became a major glamour puss soon after she arrived in Hollywood for the legendary open auditions for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind.”

David O.Selznick turned down Hayward, but within a few years she rose from minor roles to big ones, and her down-to-earth manner (even in refined ladies roles) made her an audience favorite. The visible tug between the star’s Flatbush Brooklyn roots and her Hollywood sophistication makes her lots of fun to watch despite the fact that she rarely appeared in good movies.

Warner Archive just put out a DVD-on-demand version of the 1961 Hayward picture, “Ada,” which is, by any rational measure, a terrible movie, but the star brings so much energy to her role — and plays so well opposite Dean Martin — that she lightened my spirits the night after Sandy walloped Connecticut.

Based on a long-forgotten novel — “Ada Dallas” by Wirt Williams — the movie follows the rise of singer-turned-politician Bo Dallas (Martin), who gets elected governor of an unnamed Southern state despite having just married a prostitute (Hayward).

Although the costumes and hairstyles are pure early 1960s, we find out about halfway through that the movie is actually set during the Depression.

Why no reporter exposes Ada’s secret in a highly contested governor’s race is one of the biggest mysteries in this bizarre political soap opera. Especially since Ada goes around saying things like, “I never thought I’d be a lady, let alone a first lady!”

The plot keeps getting more and more preposterous, with Ada assuming the position of lieutenant governor (!) and then the state’s top job when Bo is hospitalized after an assassination attempt. It’s a Preston Sturges screwball comedy disguised as a political expose and I loved every minute of it.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Hey pallies, likes today it is the extreme pleasure of ilovedinomartin to return to the really classy classic movie blog, "CINEMA RETRO," where a pallie tagged Lee Pfeiffer has scribed an intriguin'ly insightful review of recently-released-to-DVD Dino-classic, "Mr. Ricco." As all you Dino-holics knows this is one of our great man's most overlooked big screen efforts, and indeed his last major starrin' role behind the cameras.

Mr. Pfeiffer's review is all too brief in words, but likes so so wonderfully wise in it's deepest of deep devotion to our most beloved Dino. Likes ilovedinomartin certainly encourages you to delve deeply into Lee's reflections, but here are a couple of his very insightful thoughts that I want to make sure to lift up in these here Dino-comments:

" However, there is great pleasure in seeing Martin playing a role of depth and complexity."

"I liked Mr. Ricco more than I anticipated. Martin fans will want to sample this entertaining footnote in his remarkable career."

It appears that Mr. Lee Pfeiffer is one of those folks who truly "gets Martin" and desires that others would make great effort to view our great man in his extraordinary performance in "Mr. Ricco."

ilovedinomartin thanks the pallies at "CINEMA RETRO" and Mr. Pfeiffer in particular for sharin' such a favorable review of our Dino in "Mr. Ricco" with their readership. To view this in it's original format, simply click on the tag of this Dino-report. Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino pallies! Dino-awed, DMP

DVD REVIEW: "MR. RICCO" (1975) ...

Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s

DVD REVIEW: "MR. RICCO" (1975) STARRING DEAN MARTIN

By Lee Pfeiffer

The Warner Archive has released the little-seen, little-remembered 1975 crime thriller Mr. Ricco as a burn to order title. The film is notable primarily for being Dean Martin's last starring role. (He would only be on the big screen twice more in extended cameos for the Cannonball Run films). The MGM production is set in 1975 and finds Martin as a high-powered defense lawyer who helps his client- a black militant (Thalmus Rasulala) - beat a murder rap. Shortly thereafter, Ricco inexplicably finds that an assassin is stalking him and there are several attempts made on his life. Circumstantial evidence points to his militant ex-client, but Ricco can't imagine why this man has marked him for murder. The plot takes a few clever twists in what is otherwise a relatively undistinguished, low-key crime drama. However, there is great pleasure in seeing Martin playing a role of depth and complexity. Ricco is unlike most other parts Martin had been gliding through on automatic pilot for many years. He occasionally seemed to awaken from his predictable patterns and give an impressive performance. This is one such occasion. This time around there are no home bars with endless drinks, no circular water beds and no comely women who think he's a chick magnet. In fact, Ricco has only woman in his life and she's appropriately middle-aged. (Matt Helm would never approve). Furthermore, although Ricco can duke it out with the bad guys, the film's one fight sequence finds him on the short end of the conflict, a welcome and believable development. The film is ably directed by Paul Bogart and moves at a brisk clip, utilizing the San Francisco locations in an effective way. A climactic shootout in a posh art museum is especially well-staged, as is the relatively downbeat ending. There are some popular TV actors in supporting roles: Denise Nicholas (Room 222), pre-Laverne and Shirley Cindy Williams and Philip Michael Thomas (billed here as Philip Thomas, still years away from stardom on Miami Vice.)

Frank Sinatra once said of his adopted "brother", "Dean Martin does not like to work." Martin, like Sinatra,tired of the drudgery of making films and retired from the business to concentrate on crooning. One can only wonder how many good performances he still had in him. Many of his films were disposable and forgettable, but they were always entertaining. I liked Mr. Ricco more than I anticipated. Martin fans will want to sample this entertaining footnote in his remarkable career.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Hey pallies, likes this is likes just so so fabulous. Y'know our great pallie Mr. Ryan Ebelt over at his blog, "Friends Of Junior," has been featurin' reviews of the Matt Helm spyster capers....well, likes while we wait with great anticipation of his fourth and last installment of Helmer reflections on "The Wrecking Crew," our Dino-devoted pallie Ry had decided to turn his Dino-attention to a great dramatic screen performance of our great man.

In his review, ""A game-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?" (likes I just loves the creativity of Ry in his marvelous review tags!)....you guessed it pallies...Ry takes on our main man in his main dramatic role...that of the Dude in "Rio Bravo."

Ebelt does 'nother outstandin' wordsmithin' on "Rio" that you will want to read fully below. And, likes I 'specially digs how Ry puts the accent on the vulnerability of our Dino's Dude character. And Ry simply simply nails it when he speaks of our Dino as the center of this entire classic western sayin', "He's Dino's) essentially the heart of the picture."

Likes be sure to takes a great gander at Ry's revealin' review below...it's really a beaut! And, to view this in it's original format, as usual, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Dino-focused only, DMP

"A game-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?"

We're gonna take a break this week from Matt Helm, but I haven't forgotten that I still have The Wrecking Crew left to cover. See, that's the only way I know Dean Martin: from comedy. Though, I'm sure Dino wouldn't have any problem with that legacy. I first saw him as a kid in the Cannonball Run movies, and then later from clips of his old roasts on PBS, and later on it was with the rest of the Rat Pack in the original Ocean's 11. So, since I like to fill in the spots where I see gaps in my experience, I decided to take in the serious side of Dean Martin and watched Howard Hawks' 1959 western, Rio Bravo.

The movie opens with Dude (Dean Martin), the town drunk, reaching for a dollar that's been mockingly thrown to him into a nearby spittoon by Joe Burdette, the brother of the town's wealthy rancher, when John Chance (John Wayne), the sheriff, kicks it away out of pity. Dude hits Chance knocking him out, and Burdette's men hold up Dude for Joe to go to work on. When a bystander tries to intercede, Joe shoots him in cold blood. This leads to Joe's capture and the start of a long stand-off between the sheriff and Nathan Burdette, the wealthy rancher while they wait for U.S. Marshalls to come for Joe.

With all the singers, John Wayne fights to keep the movie from becoming Paint Your Wagon...

For the most part, the movie is good fun if a little slow for a couple of jags. It never exactly gets tiresome, but every now and again, I felt like I kept waiting for something to pep things up just a hair. There's a lot of walking from the jail to the hotel, banter in the hotel, walking back to the jail, banter in the jail, and then walking back up the street again. Now, when I say it's a stand-off, that's because Nathan stashes men in the town to make sure that the sheriff doesn't try to sneak his brother off to the authorities under his nose. The only problem is, his men largely just stand around and aren't really all that intimidating until they finally make a move here and there.

A lot of this is because the movie was in reaction to the western High Noon (1952). High Noon starred Gary Cooper as a marshall who had to face down the vengeful members of the Miller gang all alone when no one will come to his aid. It's long been known to be an allegory of the House of Un-American Activities hearings in Hollywood that led to the black-listing of the Hollywood Ten, a group of filmmakers who had affiliations with the Communist Party. John Wayne was famously not a fan of High Noon, and enlisted Hawks to help him make Rio Bravo as a response. So as the sheriff who can't help but turn down help, Bravo definitely wins the "feel good" prize, but it simply can't compete with the desperation and suspense, the palpable dread, of High Noon.

But it does feel good, and it is nice and enjoyable to see a movie that's not so jaded and shows a whole town pitching in with its sheriff to keep the rich guy from bullying his way into setting his murderous jerk brother free. It's just not very nail-biting.

Considering his reputation, Dino deserved an award for this scene alone....

The only thing that had me nervous was Dino's character, Dude. He's essentially the heart of the picture. See, the problem too often with Wayne is that he's always John Wayne in nearly every picture, and the "Duke" is almost a little too indestructible. I can only think of two exceptions where he wasn't Wayne: 1) The Conqueror (1956), the strange movie that saw him playing Genghis Khan, and 2) my favorite Wayne picture, The Searchers (1956), which was one of his most complex and extremely unlikable characters. Dude, on the other hand, is all too vulnerable, though he's greased lightning with a gun. The sheriff explains that Dude was a former deputy who ran off with a girl who was no good only return to take up his new position as the town drunk. And Dino gives a strong performance as he fights off the shakes and set-backs that keep pointing him back to booze. It was the surprising amount of screen time they gave his resurrection that had me waiting for the inevitable fall...but I won't say how or to what degree the movie delivered on that score.

The movie gave the ladies Ricky, I'll leave this for the fellas...

The supporting cast also does a fine job. The obvious stunt casting of Ricky Nelson as the new kid with a pistol only really grates during a song number late in the film; however, having both Ricky and Dino in the movie, I knew they had to sing something at some point. But it arrives late, and just when you feel the final action should be swinging into motion. Angie Dickinson is very enjoyable as the Duke's love interest, the gambler's ex-girl, Feathers. The scene where she has Wayne on his heels suggesting he give her a strip search is quite a corker. Unfortunately, her fast paced dialogue, a Hawks' trademark, seems a little ill-at-ease as the movie wears on, especially in a western setting, and it seems like the tender scenes are being forcibly wedged in there for the benefit of the women in the audience. As if throwing them Ricky wasn't good enough.

Looks like Howard would concur...

In all, for soaking up a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, you could do a whole lot worse than this relaxed and enjoyable picture. After all, Howard Hawks and John Wayne must've been happy with it as they more or less remade it two more times.